I took out insubstantial words (“the,” “and,””thereunto,” etc.). One thing that is clear as day to me is that if Wordle had existed in 1903, maybe the PCUSA would’ve realized the WCF didn’t need a new chapter on the Holy Spirit. As the graphic shows, he is represented pretty well in the confession already, being one of the most commonly used words in the entire (1729 revision) Westminster Confession of Faith. Continue reading →

I’m getting ready for a Sunday School series on the Ten Commandments, and was looking at Larger Catechism 99 (“What rules are to be observed for the right understanding of the Ten Commandments?”). It lists eight rules, one of them is: Continue reading →

I have created a monthly plan to read through the Westminster Standards in a month. This is a very modest attempt at helping Christians to become more familiar with the Reformed confessions. Since this was a first draft, I am quite certain that there are typos and ‘errors in judgment’ scattered throughout the document. Nevertheless, it is my hope that this will be useful in some way to bring Reformed Christians back in touch with these confessional documents.

“Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessry unto salvation…” (WCF 1:1).

“Q. 2. How doth it appear that there is a God?

A. The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God; but his Word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation. (WLC 2)”

54. Bavinck begins his survey of the history of Reformed dogmatics by analyzing the difference between Reformed and Lutheran systems. He argues that the difference between them is perspectival in nature. Lutherans do theology through the lens of anthropology (emphasizing justification), while Reformed theologians do theology through the lens of theology proper (emphasizing the glory of God). Bavinck then turns to the development of Reformed theology from Zwingli in Zurich to Calvin in Geneva, then onto the rest of Switzerland, France, the Palatinate, the Netherlands, England, and Germany.

55. Bavinck surveys the development of Reformed theology in the Netherlands through Reformed scholasticism (a methodology which, he says, was greeted with mixed reviews among the Reformed), in England through theological controversies over church polity, Arminianism, and Amyraldianism, and in Scotland through the work of Rollock, Welsh, Gillespie, Rutherford, and others. Bavinck argues that Reformed dogmatics reached its “zenith” and “terminus” in the Canons of Dordt (1618-19), the Westminster Standards (1646), the Consensus Helviticus (1675), and the Walcherese Articles (1693).

56. Reformed theology met with stiff resistance throughout the first two hundred years of its existence. Not only did Luther and Calvin protest the Roman Catholic Church, so did humanists who argued not for a return to Scripture but for a return to classical Greek and Roman culture, thus rejecting Calvinist theology. Religious challenges came from Socinians and Anabaptists. Philosophically, Cartesianism sought to replace revelation with reason (Bavinck sees Cocceius as a Cartesian). In France, the Academy of Samur begot several “startling [theological] theses.” England saw different challenges arise from Independents, Baptists, and numerous religious sects, which all in one way or another paved the way for deism, rationalism, and, eventually, skepticism.

57. “Around 1750, Reformed theology everywhere fell into decay.” The Netherlands saw the Era of Toleration (1740-1770) which allowed Remonstrant and Socinian errors to run rampant. In 18th century France, the revocation of the Edict of Nanses (1615) meant the banishment of many strong Reformed theologians from France. In England, dogmatics had become completely pre-occupied with defending against deism, and developed a rationalistic bent. In Scotland, the “Marrow controversy” proved a stepping stone to neonomianism and rationalism.

58. By the 19th century, Reformed theology in the Netherlands, England, Germany, France, and Switzerland were all in decline, and modern philosophy and modern theological trends were on the rise.

59. In 19th century England in particular, several religious movements need to be acknowledged because of how they altered the religious landscape of England. First, John Wesley and Methodism whose ministry influenced virtually every Christian denomination. Second, the Oxford Movement which sought the establishment of Christian dogma, high Church liturgy, social renewal, and a united Protestant Church. Third, the unreligious effects of evolution (agnosticism, empiricism, and materialism). Fourth, the rise of many differing kinds of religious groups (Unitarianism, Buddhism, Islam).

60. On the otherside of the pond, Calvinism had a deeply influential effect in North America early on, though there were different ‘strands’ of it present there. However, even here conflicts arose (Old School v. New School, Old Lights v. New Lights, Orthodoxy v. Modernism); soon the Calvinism which had such a promising beginning in America was on the run. Bavinck, writing at the dawn of the twentieth century, prophetically declared, “There is clearly no rosy future awaiting Calvinism in America.”